Wildomar officials consider reopening ballfield

A dormant youth baseball field on Wildomar Cemetery property could be reopened for use if the City Council signs off on the plan Wednesday.

The meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. at City Hall, 23873 Clinton Keith Road.

City Manager Gary Nordquist said the move is in anticipation of the temporary closure of Marna O'Brien Park for rehabilitation. That facility on Palomar Street is the only public park offering baseball and softball fields, aside from the cemetery field. Wildomar Little League developed the park, called Welch Field, years ago as its home park, which includes an outfield fence.

However, the youth organization no longer is in operation and no games were played at the cemetery field on Gruwell Street last summer and fall.

Nordquist said he is proposing that the city get the permission to use the field from the district, which now is an adjunct of the city. The City Council sits as the district's board.

Taking control of the field would enable the city to rent it to youth teams who want to reserve the field as well as open it up to the general public when it is not reserved, Nordquist said.

Marna O'Brien has steadily deteriorated over the last couple of years after the city was prompted by budget constraints to relinquish its operation to volunteers while closing two smaller parks without ball fields.

Revenue from a park parcel tax measure that passed in November will enable the city to reopen the parks and refurbish Marna O'Brien. The work, however, will require closure of its three ball fields for reseeding and grass growth, work that is expected to begin this fall.

"From about four to six months, the fields will be fenced off to revegetate and allow time for grass to grow, so there won't be a place for kids to play baseball anymore," Nordquist said.

That problem will be remedied with the use of the cemetery field, which also has been suffering from neglect in recent months. Weeds are sprouting up on the diamond, while the outfield grass has turned brown and gopher holes have appeared in left field.

"We will be taking care of the grass and watering, and making sure it's a safe facility for kids to play in," Nordquist said. "Ideally, it would be available this summer and we'd be looking at letting other organizations come in and use the field."

Should the Wildomar Little League be revived, it could launch its season at one of the renovated Marna O'Brien fields, he said.